Russian-Ukrainian war, day 862: Zelensky says 14 Ukrainian brigades lack promised Western weapons

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Military

The village of Borova in Kharkiv Oblast suffers heavy Russian shelling as evacuations continueMore than 200 children are still in the settlement and face significant threat from the advancing invaders.

Front report: Ukrainian forces destroy Russian air defense systems and ammunition depots in the direction of Kharkiv and prepare for counterattackUkrainian drones attacked a Russian ammunition depot in Olkhovatka with over 3,000 artillery shells stored there and also destroyed two Russian Pantsir self-propelled air defense systems in Belgorod Oblast with HIMARS missiles, paving the way for a powerful counteroffensive towards Kharkiv.

Frontline report: Russian attempt with new attack vector near Zolochiv fails. A sudden Russian flank attack near Zolochiv (Kharkiv) fails as Ukrainian border guards repel the Russian sabotage group. Ukrainian drone units carry out attacks on Russian targets, disrupting logistics. Ukrainian Armed Forces remain ready for possible future operations.

Ukrainian troops withdraw from the easternmost canal district of Chasiv YarUkrainian forces have withdrawn from the Kanal neighborhood in Khasiv Yar, Donetsk region, as Russia intensifies efforts to capture the city, the military reports.

Away July 4, 2024the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian armed forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:

• Personnel: 547470 (+1200)
• Tanks: 8132 (+9)
• APV: 15600 (+17)
• Artillery systems: 14777 (+65)
• MLRS: 1115
• Air defence systems: 878 (+2)
• Airplanes: 360
• Helicopters: 326
• Drone: 11694 (+26)
• Cruise missiles: 2342 (+6)
• Warships/Boats: 28
• Submarines: 1
• Vehicles and fuel tanks: 19923 (+73)

Intelligence and technology

The Ukrainian defense project “Steel Front” starts production of protection kits for M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehiclesIn addition to armored equipment, Metinvest has also developed mobile protective structures, so-called “lancet catchers”, which provide defense solutions against Russian unmanned aerial vehicles.

HUR: The special operations group Kabul-9 of the Ukrainian secret service destroys numerous Russian supply chainsFormed at the beginning of Russia’s large-scale invasion, Kabul-9 consists of veterans of Ukrainian intelligence and military services and plays a crucial role in the defense of Kyiv.

All of the more than 20 Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles aimed at Kyiv since May 2023 have been intercepted by PatriotA colonel of the Ukrainian Air Force announces that since the deployment of the Patriot air defense systems in May 2023, all Russian Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles aimed at Kyiv have been successfully intercepted.

Ukraine’s 14 brigades are inadequately equipped and do not have the weapons that the allies had previously promised themUkrainian President Zelensky announced that 14 Ukrainian brigades were inadequately equipped and lacked the weapons promised by allies, which was delaying possible counteroffensives against Russian forces.

International

Bloomberg: Zelensky says potential ceasefire talks require transparent international oversightThe Ukrainian president insists on concrete assurances in a possible ceasefire agreement with Russia.

Kuleba: Ukraine needs more long-range missiles, air defense and ammunition to eliminate Russian aerial bomb threatUkrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba outlined two key decisions that could change the dynamics on the battlefield: allowing Western weapons to attack Russian military targets and increasing ammunition supplies from partners to protect Ukraine from Russian guided-bomb attacks.

NATO summit to unveil concrete steps for Ukraine’s membership, US official saysThe NATO summit is expected to outline Ukraine’s path to membership, address Russian aggression and strengthen global partnerships, according to a U.S. State Department official.

Humanitarian and social impacts

Drone attacks injure eight workers at Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and damage substation in EnerhodarOne of the substations near the city of Enerhodar was attacked by drones.

Russian occupiers in Berdyansk plan secret funeral of murdered Ukrainian teenager . The Russian occupation authorities of Berdyansk have consistently denied families access to the bodies of the teenagers killed by Russian occupiers in 2023 and are now planning to bury them without their relatives knowing where and when, according to the Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR).

A total of nine people were killed in Russian attacks on Dnipro; day of mourning declared. Ukrainian rescue workers discovered the body of a woman under the rubble of an apartment building in Dnipro that was hit by Russian forces on June 28. A woman injured in the Russian missile attack on July 3 died in hospital. The governor of Dnipro declared a day of mourning for July 4 to commemorate those who lost their lives in Russian attacks.

Russia attacks energy plant with drones, injures woman, Ukraine shoots down 21/22 drones in attack. Overnight, Russian forces launched 22 Shahed drones into Ukraine, targeting energy infrastructure. According to official reports, Ukrainian forces shot down 21 drones, but one of them hit a facility in Chernihiv, causing power outages.

Political and legal developments

Zelenskyj’s spokesman denies claim of upcoming interview with pro-Russian Tucker CarlsonSergii Nykyforov, spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, wrote on Facebook that Zelensky “has a completely different schedule and Tucker Carlson is not on it.”

New developments

Border protection: Ukraine is ready to respond to potential threats if the situation on the border with Belarus changesThe Ukrainian border guard stressed that all military activities near Belarus were defensive in nature and aimed at protecting against possible Russian aggression.

Despite athlete bans, Russians with military ties remain in the IOC. The two Russian members of the International Olympic Committee, Yelena Isinbayeva and Shamil Tarpishev, will retain their posts despite Russian links to the military. This contrasts with the bans of Russian athletes from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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